


May We Meet Again

by wonderfulchaos



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Gen, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2017-03-18
Packaged: 2018-10-06 23:32:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10347063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wonderfulchaos/pseuds/wonderfulchaos
Summary: Matoba was supposed to be going to an important meeting, but instead, he gets waylaid in the process by another lonely soul.





	

There was a boy sitting beside a pond, holding a kitten close to his chest and looking so lost. Against his better judgement, Seiji approached the waterside as well and took a seat next to the lone boy. He stared out toward the pond’s depths, wondering what the boy was looking at with such a nervous expression.

There, rippling in the water, was a yōkai drifting aimlessly around. It didn’t seem to be hurting anything or anyone, but - he took out a paper charm, brandishing it as he chanted under breath. The yōkai shrieked and snarled, turning its sightless eyes on him. It couldn’t have been anything more than a lower class ayakashi, but even the weak could become strong if given enough opportunity. He didn’t plan to give it any, preferring to chase off the monster that had strayed too close to human civilization.

When he was done, he looked over at the boy, who had witnessed the entire thing. That was such a baffling thought, too. Who was this child that could see so clearly without any aid? Or perhaps, he thought, to be reasonable, it was the lighting on the reflective pond. It wasn’t strange for certain people to see certain things on certain days.

Then his gaze dropped to the kitten in the boys arms and he stiffened, a frown pulling at his lips. He reached out, about to take the creature from the boy, but the child surprised him and turned away, glaring at him. “You do realize,” he spoke softly, hoping not to startle the boy, “that what you are holding is also one of those things?” He gestured vaguely toward the pond he had emptied of yōkai. “Do you think because it’s cute it won’t hurt you?” How naive the suggestion was, and it left behind a bitter taste in his mouth.

“It’s not!” denied the boy, his knuckles turning white. “This is … this is a cat!”

Chuckling, he reached out again - and this time the child slapped his hand away, fear in his eyes. “You’re being difficult,” muttered Seiji, drawing his hand back and rubbing at it. “It’s not something you should be protecting, even if it was just an animal. Do you know how many diseases those things carry?”

“I don’t care,” grit out the boy, bewitching eyes flashing in anger, “you can’t go around hurting everything!”

Now that he looked closer, the boy’s color was odd from head to toe. Near silver hair and eyes, and that pale complexion like a ghost - he scoffed and asked, “Are you sure you aren’t one of them, too?”

Wincing, the boy huddled down alongside his kitten and bit out, “I’m human.” Then quietly, and with more insistence, “I’m human. I have to be.”

With a ‘hm’ meant to bring the child’s attention back to him, Seiji told him, “You are, but if you protect them … you’re just as bad as they are.”

Something like resignation appeared in the boy’s eyes and he began to loosen his hold on the cat. “You mean … I’m like them? I can’t … I don’t want that at all.”

It was promising. Maybe he could - “Young master!” someone called from behind him in a scolding tone. “What are you doing, wandering off like that? I thought you had been spirited away!”

It was never good to worry Nanase needlessly. “I was just leaving.” He spared one last look at the boy and his kitten before standing. “I suppose that one can stay for now, but I’ll be back for it,” he promised, brushing aside black hair to reveal his right eye, “and may we meet again.”

“Maybe …” The boy seemed uncertain, and yet he had gone back to hugging his kitten again. “I’m Natsume, by the way.”

“Natsume?” Nanase tilted her head to the side, her hand coming up to cup her chin. “Where have I heard that name before?” she wondered aloud, before shaking it off. “Never mind that now, we’re going to be late.”

“Right,” he smiled at the child and waved. “I’d best be off. Until we meet again, Natsume.”


End file.
